Merseyside police and crime commissioner Jane Kennedy’s voice broke with emotion as she spoke to dozens of TV crews, reporters and photographers at the press conference at the force HQ in Liverpool.

She said: “Police officers are on the front line every single day protecting our communities.

“It’s a dark day when you lose one of our own and it’s a painful reminder of the risks police officers face to keep us all safe.”

Police officers lay floral tributes at the scene in Wallasey North Road, Wallasey, Merseyside, where Pc David Phillips was mown down and killed by a stolen car

Peter Singleton, chairman of Merseyside Police Federation, said PC Phillips’ colleagues are “understandably devastated”, adding: “When any officer is killed on duty it is a tragedy and in Dave’s case it is possibly more so. His young children have been robbed of a father, his wife Jen, deprived of a husband and his parents, their son.

“His colleagues and friends have lost a respected and truly exceptional officer.

“He was one of the best and will always be missed.”

A police presence remains outside Oxton Estates in Woodhouse Road, Birkenhead, where the Mitsubishi was stolen.

Residents said the car was usually parked outside the sales and letting shop and had stickers advertising the business.

One neighbour who did not want to be named said “it stuck out like a sore thumb”.

Maria Driver, 55, who saw the news on Facebook, said: “It’s not unusual around here, the last 12 months has been absolutely horrendous for car thefts, motorbike thefts and burglaries. The alarms were going off the other night about 6:30pm.